Shock-absorbing running gear for binders



' Oct. 21, 1930. J. ERGENBRIGHT 1,779,360

SHOCK ABSORBING RUNNING GEAR FOR BINDERS Filed F'eb. 13, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 1 7 u 61mm,

Oct. 21,1930. J, ERGENBmGHT 1,779,360

SHOCK ABSORBING RUNNING GEAR FOR BINDERS Filed Fe 15, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Get. 21, 1930 uurr o T'rss jPAT EN orFi g JAYERGENBRIGHT, or omn vr, Iowa snoox-Ansonnmeiwnnind Gamma mitosesApplication filed February 13, used '.Seria1'l To. 254,132.

This invention relates to improvements in the runnlng gear ofgramgblnders.

VHeretofore the bull wheels of grain binders I I have been mounted ininverted .U-shaped I 6 hangers which are rigidly secured to the mainframes of the binders, but I have found that, during the travel of thebinder over the ground surface, which is usually dry, hard, and rough atthe time'grainis cut and bound,

the binder is subjectedto a jarring motion which frequently results ininaccurate tying of the bundles of grain and a shaking of the grain anddislodgment thereof from the binder mechanism, and therefore the pres-415 ent invention has as its primary object to provide means forabsorbingthe shocks in- I cident to travelof the binder over the'surface of the ground, so that such dislodgment and loss of the grainwill be'avoided; and

tying ofthe bundles of grain will be eflected in a more perfect mannerthan under the condltions above described.

Another object of the invention is to provide no'velmeans for somounting the hangers for the bull wheels ofbinders that the frame of thebinder will beso cushioned as not to be subjected to the usual arringand thus overcome the disadvantages referred to 7 above. I

330 While the'accompanying drawings and the description which is tofollow, constitute a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it will be understood that various changes may be made withinthe scope of what is claimed. In the accompanying drawings: Figure ,1,is a view in side elevation of the shock-absorbing means embodying thein-' Figure 4 is a vertical front to-rear sectional view onthe linear-4cof Figure?) lookmg in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 5'isa vertical front to rear sectional view takensubstanti'allyon the line 5-5 of Figure3 looking in the direction inedicated by the arrows,

, f In the drawings thenumerals' 1 and 2 in- 1 dica'te' in general thelower andupper frame sections of the binder, the bull wheel beingindicated by the numeral 3 and the aXleorxKiO spindle thereof by thenumeral 4. The nu IHGXa-l'5 indicates the usual hanger which is of"inverted U-shape: as shown in Figure 3 and which is disposed tostraddle thebull wheel and isprovided with the usualdown-tewardlye'xtendingyokes 6 which are provided with-the usual arcuate-slots71and the usual arcuate racks 8 at the forward sides of'the slots whichare in meshwith the usual pinions 9 on the spindle dot the bull wheel3:1 Then- 0 numeral 10 indicates the usual'worm pinion 1 which is fixedupon the supporting'spindle 4- for theibull wheel 3, and the usualbearing 7 frame 11" is assembled with the spindle and supports theusual-adjusting shaft 12 which is provided at its lower endwith the worm13 which meshes-with the said worm pinion 10, the usual handle 14 beingprovided at the u-pperend of the shaft 12 whereby'the shaft 7 *my berotated so asto rotate the pinion 10 and efiect,rotation of the spindle4 and the .pinions 9 thereon 'and thus "provide for'up and downadjustment-of the yoke 5. and correspondinjg adjustment ofgthe framecomprising the sections .;1 and 2, withrespect to thec5 bull wheel 3c;Heretofore, it has; been the practiceto onnect-the hangers5 rigidly to,the frame 1,,but, in accordance with the presentinvention,su-chfconneotion is dispensed with ahd a connectingmeans such asilluse51 trated in the drawingsis employed in lieu thereofm order toohtam the advantages and "overcome the disadvantages outlined above.

" J In the drawings the numeral 14 indicates the usual semi-ellipticsprings which arena!) connected by shackles 15, at their ends, with theends of the side members of the lower frame section 1, and theintermediate portions ofwthese springs have the usual clip plates 16.assembledtherewith and clamped 2. 5

in place by the usual clips 17, the lower ends the hanger for limitingthe displacement of of the side members of the hanger being the framewith respect to the hanger.

bolted, in the usual manner, as at 18, to the opposite sides of thelower clip plates 16. In

accordance with the invention, a pair of upright stems 19 is providedupon the upper clip plate 16 of each spring 14, and these stemsarevertically slidably fitted through openings provided in bearing members20 which are secured to the inner sides of the side members of the frame1 in'front and in rear of the respective side members of the hanger 5.Pins 21 are fitted diametrically through the stems 19 and are adapted toengage the upper sides of flanges 22 which project laterally outwardlyfrom the side members of the hanger 5, and compression springs '23 arearranged upon the stems and bear at their lower ends against the upperclip plate 16 and at their upper ends against the bearing brackets 20.

From the foregoing description of the in- Vention it will be understoodthat as the bull surface, in the travel'of the binder, any

-Sl10cl(s of impact of the bull wheel with the inequalities in theground surface are absorb'ed due to the provision of the springs 23 andthe arrangement of these springs in the manner illustrated anddescribed, it being evident that, in the instance of the presentinvention, a yieldable connection is provided between the hanger 5 andthe frame 1 instead of the fixed connection which .is ordinarilyprovided between these parts.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. In a hinder, thecombination with the binder frame, the bull wheel, and the hanger inwhich the bull wheel is adjustably mounted, of a cushionin springsuspended at its ends from the frame, means connecting the hanger withthe intermediate portion of the spring, bearings upon the frame andother bearings upon the hanger, rods connected to the intermediateportion of the spring and fitting slidably in the said bearings, meanspositively limiting the downward sliding movement of the rods throughthe bearings upon the hanger, and compression springs arranged upon therods between the intermediate portion of the first mentioned spring andthe bearings upon the said frame.

2. In a binder, the combination with the binder frame, the bnllwheel,and the hanger in which the bull wheel is adjustably mounted, of aspring assemblage suspended at its ends from the frame, means securingthe hanger to the intermediate portion of the spring assemblage,compression springs interposed between the frame and the intermediateportion of the spring assemblage, and means connected with the springassemblage andcoaeting with abutment portions upon In testimony whereofI affix my signature.

JAY ERGENBRIGHT.

